Baseball lost a great one today.
Hall of Fame Manager Bobby Cox passed away today. He was 84 years old.
A Third Baseman who made it to the Majors for two seasons with the New York Yankees (1968-69), Cox became a Manager in 1971 for New York’s Class A team in Ft Lauderdale. He rose through the coaching ranks and rejoined the Yankees as a First Base Coach for the Bronx Bombers, winning a World Series ring in 1977, but his stay in the Big Apple came to an end when Atlanta Braves owner Ted Turner signed him to become their Manager in 1978.
Cox was well respected, but the Braves did not have much talent, and Turner relieved him of his duties after four years, famously quipping that the “perfect successor would be someone like Cox”. He did not have to wait long to find employment, as the Toronto Blue Jays signed him to be their Manager.
Cox was with Toronto for only four years, but he led them from the cellar to their first division title in 1985. He was now a sought-after commodity, and he signed back with the Atlanta Braves, this time as their General Manager from 1986 to 1990, during which he stockpiled talent via the draft. Cox assigned himself as the Manager in 1991, and John Schuerholz succeeded him as the Braves’ GM.
Cox ran the Braves dugout for the next 20 years, and it was in the Peach State where his work became legendary. He took the Braves to five Pennants, with one World Series win in 1995. Cox entered the Baseball Hall of Fame in 2014, was a four-time Manager of the Year, and boasted a career record of 2,504-2001.
We here at Notinhalloffame would like to extend our condolences to the fans, friends, and family of Bobby Cox.
